5 minutes with BLOOD

I walked in his home studio at Bundung where most of his works with other artists take place.

Q1- Many people are mostly caught off guard when they here BLOOD. How did you come up with the name BLOOD?

Well... the name BLOOD, I quoted it from the holy book because I am a muslim, because God created mankind from a sensitive clot of blood. So I believe blood is very important cuz there is no man or animal and dem thing dem without blood in their veins. So I believe blood is a very important thing when it comes to human being cuz even human beings are related through blood. Blood is live itself and very imporatant, and thats why I came up with the name BLOOD cuz am part of every human being.

Q2- On the interview you had with Dj Senator last month on GRTS radio. You said ”what ever help is coming from the big man you are not getting the help. Can you clear that for us?

Its like this, even if it is coming then it is going to the wrong people though at times there might be help coming for the artists given to some people who dont know music and where to put the resources at the right places. Over the years there were so many artists that had the chance to meet with him but I dont think those artists ever tell him the problems Gambian artists are faced with you understand. Some artists would go somewhere and the tell the big man because they know if they tell him the problem he will solve it right there. and I believe he can solve it. {empasizing}You get me... But what about if you go there and explain your own personal problem then he would just solve your personall problem. So at the end of the day you will leave the other artists there, but me! I believe that if I have a chance to meet him once to sit with him and talk with him I will explain to him the problems of the gambian artists.

Q3- What is your impression about the music scene in The Gambia?

Well the Gambian music scene have actually started changing because you cannot say it is not changing because nowadays radios are playing our music though, they are not playing it up to the level of our satisfaction or to the level that we want them to. Atleast its better than nothing and the fanbase is also increasing, the Gambian music is like its different from years back when you find it very hard. Now when you go around you hear Gambian music on phones as ringtones. On the radios some Djs are playing our music especialy DJ senetor he loves Gambian music and has been playing Gambian over the years because he actually started with promoting Gambian music while some Djs out there started with foreign music. And its just now they have started to play our music somehow because they know things are beginig to change.

The music scene have changed, and all the artists need to do is we need to unite! The unification of the artists is very important because without it we will never make it. Because its only the artist that can change the music scene. So with the artists coming together we can make it.

Q4- Over the years you have gained considerable amount of radio replays. Are you satisfied with the level of promotions from the radio stations and the TV?

First of all I will give thanks to the most high. Over the years its like non of my tunes are been played on the radio. Me give thnx to god because is god who puts that thing which makes the people feel the music and Djs play it on the radios. Actually I have done so many songs that I have not that have not yet been taken to the radio stations for promotion. The only songs you hear on the radio are the products I have released.

Watch out for his album and other projects coming your way real soon God willing.

Background info about Blood in the music scene

A young Gambian artist by the government name Alasana Sanyang known by many in the country as Blood or Baba Blood, is by all means a gifted music lover who have been in the music scene for quite a while. He started recording his promotional songs since 2005, his records like “Gambian music” which came at a time when Gambian acts where in the state of confusion and playing blame games holding the Djs, promoters and organizers for not taking them seriously. The song unravelled the issues detering the music scene of the Gambia and issues surronding. The record title ::”Gambian music” have gone viral on almost every cell phone of young people and others and it was through that bluetooth transfers Sing'A'teh a well positioned artist/radio presenter got a hold of the track from MC Mballow to play it on his radio show on Paradise FM. Spreading on the airwaves like an epidemic and ofcourse gave BLOOD respect and recognition in the country all the way to the rural areas. His second promo song titled “One and Two” a sort of a comic version, which compels listeners to put the song on repeat have proven him to be beyond just a reggae artist only. Few months ago he released a salsa/reggae fusion love song titled “Nte ni tellen” which has created a buzz and played by Djs on the radios most especially, DJ Senator of the GRTS radio, Artical Slice (Total reggae connection TV show) and so many local Djs and promoters in town. Blood who regard himself as the voice of the artists and a young man who love his country and the people around him is also a record producer who have recently released a medley called “Lover's medley” the medley is at its first phase and consists of Royal messenger, Born African, Sofia and Blood himself. The medley video was played on Total Reggae connection TV show on GRTS and has been well received by the fans and some critics.
Blood also works with so many artists from different genres of music and I spoke with couple of 'em artists and fans as well and here is what they said about BLOOD:

...The music he is doing is great and people appreciate it, plus he is versatile and pay much attention to the message he put across, said-- Jah Michael...

... Right from the first day I saw him performing on the Open Mic held at Bundung six junction, I could tell he stood out among the rest, said – Born African

REBELLION THE RECALLER RELEASES HIS NEW ALBUM

 The Gambian internationally acclaimed reggae artist based in Germany who brought smile and put the Gambia on the international reggae map have so much on his sleeves that he is widely known in the reggae fraternity not to mention Europe, Jamaica, Africa and parts of the world will release his new album “IN THIS TIME” .The album is said to be a must listen to, embroidered with head nodding songs and food for thought lyrics dealing with issues relating to our society in general. Rebellion have performed in many shows across Europe, and in 2001, 2006 and 2008 respectively won the best international and solo artist award in Africa.

Ghetto Boy Music released a spanking new riddim

     One of Gambia's most popular and talked about R &B singer/producer Nova has released a new afro wave music riddim called 'The Gentlemen Riddim' on the 10^th March 2012. The riddim featured twelve local artists namely:  Dro kyleh, Nova, Og Loo, ST, Gee,  Awa Bling,  New era,  Humzy, MLK,  Da Gees,  Star on da mic,  Tamsir and Nova respectively. According to Nova who is the brain behind the newly invented Afro wave music expressed his concern for the proper establishment of the Gambian music industry and said, in the race to find a signature and identity for Gambian music, there is a need to create such a riddim like the 'Ladies Riddim'  launched on January 13^th  of this year which was also  in the same musical format as the new 'Gentlemen riddim'. The young entertainer proudly said the Afro wave is now a Gambian music.

Join Hands Together doing their bit in the GM Hip Hop circle

Join Hands Together is a hip hop group consisting of three rappers who have been working together since 2007 organizing annual free shows at Ebo Town and going to the extreme to make sure positive messages are being sent across through Rap music or Hip Hop are working on their debut album “PEACE AND LOVE”. On Wednesday 13^th march 2012, Join Hands Together held a press at Alliance Franco Gambienne on the Kairaba Avenue which was to let public know about the fundamental nature of Hip Hop and ofcourse to give hip hop a new facelift in The Gambia with their catch phrase  “ DEAKIL RAP” and what they have in store to make Hip Hop  more appealing to the  Gambian public. They have three lines of activities among others which include setsettal which will be on Friday 16 march, concert on satirday 17 march, lessons on music and press conferences to arm the Gambian music scene with good teachings of rap music as part of their social responsibilities as a real Hip Hopper. Speaking at the press conference, Kang Foreh, a one third of Join Hands Together expressed his sincere gratitude to the participants and journalists, said the idea behind the setsettal when asked by journalists said they want to make sure the environment stays clean in order to be able to do their job properly which is rap. And Pa Mamadi, head of the organizing committee and Noumal (two third of JHT), on their part said underground is always the one stop for talent and that’s why they are making efforts to improve peoples understanding of the subject matter Hip Hop through dealing with burning issues like teenage pregnancy and other social issues affecting us. Ous T, head of Hip Hop Heads participated in the conference and added that, “the problem of hip hop in the Gambia is identity crisis so therefore we should be able to differentiate between different genres or subgenres to be able to share a common ideology and be united”

The press conference attracted many participants from different walks of life including media personnel. 

Kids knocking the hell out of the snake like its going out of style

I went to Kunku Jang Keitayaa on this day and on my way going back home to my surprise i saw these kids stomping and hitting something from a distance i couldn't tell what they were roughing up SO BAD, so i decided to double up my speed to find out what was going down. When i caught up with them mein.. I saw a snake on the ground head all messed up by these kids with blocks and anything they lay their hands on with passion and what amazes me was there was no iota of fret or fear on their faces. I looked at the environment and came to a friendly conclusion..... they are used to seeing snakes and ofcourse slaying them as well. But right before i finished adding up, one kid stuck the dead snake up with a stick so that i can take a good picture of it. The other kid said "heyy! lii yenn la tuda" i looked at him with jaw dropping gesture and said nganeh lum tuda?
 

Smoke Doctah's 2nd album 'll go tornado in the Gambian Hip Hop circle

Smoke Doctah's 2nd album - NEGRITUDE 

Smoke Doctah widely known as Smokey is a song writer/ Pan African artist, and the creative director of Lacosa Nostra, one of the biggest Hip Hop movement in the Gambia. He started making heads nod in the college parks of Toronto, Canada with his infinite wisdom and unique style of rapping and delivery without compromising his tradition. In 2005 he released his first album “Ghetto Noir” which went straight to MTV making Smoke Doctah/Lacosa Nostra the flag bearer of Hip Hop in the recorded history of the Gambian Hip Hop. His new album “Smoke Doctoh’s NEGRITUDE” will be released on Friday 16^th December 2011 at Milly’s nite club, Senegambia.

"The El Capitan of this hip hop thing in the Gambia and the most versatile Hip Hop album so far".—says Bankie Grey-Johnson, Shout Gambia/ Hot Ink Media.
"Listening to his promo songs, you realize that he has gone beyond just rap. He's got incredible punch lines and metaphors, and that's what hip hop is suppose to be about" -- says Bilal Bin Kebba, Poetic X.
 

I went to visit Smoke Doctoh in his Serekunda residence for an exclusive interview with him.

Q1- First of all who is Smoke Doctah and why the name Smoke Doctah?

My real name is Batch Samba Gaye and I got Smoke Doctoh from Hakim, my first producer when I came back home. Hakim calls me smoke Doctah because he felt that I bring signs in music and because of the signs I bring into the music he gave me Smoke Doctah but lot of people call me Smokey that’s my nickname even back in college in Canada.

Q2 – When did you fall in love with Hip Hop?

Back in the days in the 80s when I was a kid growing up in Serekunda and Pipeline, I fell in love with hip hop when first heard Heavy D and NWA’s song and I use to rap over Heavy D’s songs that was when i fell in love with Hip Hop.

Q3- Why Hip Hop?

You can say it was meant to happen that I was going to be a rapper and when I went to Canada I got deep into hip hop listening to real hip hop like Boot Camp from then on I started freestyling at the college park. When you go to a place where everybody is freestyling you just have to spit something. So that’s how it happened and later I became a battle rapper, I get into hip hop freestyle sessions at college parks in Canada around 2003 that’s when I use to go to college park and that’s when people call me on the sideline “Yo you’re nice” and I respected those people when they told me that and I took it seriously.

Q 4 - As a matured and humble Hip Hop emcee with a unique style of delivery. What is the idea behind your way of rapping and flow?

It happens because of my being in different places from Serekunda that’s a different experience to Canada, a little island call Nova Scotia from there I moved to Toronto where its like patuwa with the Jamaicans and reggae because in Toronto you have lot of Jamaicans that’s why you hear all those flows with little Jamaican swagger on it, I got that from Toronto then moved to London Ontario dealing with different peoples that made my flow unique. I always say to rap like me you got to go all the place I have been to. That’s how I got that unique style and I found out like yo nobody raps like me and I said ah okay this is my style.

Q5- Do you write your own songs or you have someone taking care of that?

Nah…{laughs} I never let anyone write a song for me I write songs for people but I don’t think I am in that level am because am too creative even if I stop rapping I will be writing songs for people. I think I was going to be a book writer if I wasn’t a rapper because am someone who is into poetry deep into poetry that’s why you always hear me coming with ideas like “Ghetto Noire” my first album and “my second album “Negritude” I got them all poetry from reading poetry black African poetry. Am a big fan of the late Leopold Senghore the late president of Senegal he came up with the idea NEGRITUDE with Aime Cesaire just reading their poetry I found out that negritude is about negro Africans attitude so that’s why I name my album negritude. Am a writer though I got that maybe from my father because he used to write too for papers back in Ken Street Voo in Banjul and later Jawara gave them scholarships and they all went to Ghana to go to school, I think I got that from him.

Q6- What are the kind of subjects or issues do you deal with in your songs?

Basically I deal with political and social conscious music and when I do social songs I do songs for everybody every ghetto youth be like okay that’s my song and sometimes when I just raise political awareness I don’t get into deep politics, just political awareness knowing my surroundings and being aware of what is going around you, i reflect that on my music you can tell that this guy really lives in the ghetto that’s why he talks and acts like them. I don’t” force it just happen.

Q7- Most people say Gambians don’t pay attention to artists financially. What is your take on that as an artist set to release an album?

To be honest this album at the last minute I tried to look for sponsors but it didn’t work because I found out that lot of people are scared to associate with Smokey because am very outspoken and people know. If I call to people who control stuffs they wouldn’t answer but if they see on the streets they be like “Yo how are you doing I haven’t seen you.” I know that they are scared to bring me in their circle but I have people like private individuals, friends who come to me to see me to give me something “put this towards the album” “I know you are against all odds and its gonna be real hard to push this album” Lot of people think that I shouldn’t release this album because it will bring a lot of controversies, its gonna show a lot of people how I look at them Because its about my attitude, the way I look at a particular group of people and how I react. It was hard but I came out with album with the help of God and people that love real Hip Hop. Gambians are really opening their eyes now they be like “who is Smoke Doctoh?” How come promoters don’t talk about him and he has accomplished so much when it comes to Gambian music he took Gambian music where no body took it to so why are they fighting him. But later people are going to find out the truth that I don’t wanna be controlled.

Q8- What can fans expect from your new album?

Its got a proper intro, battle songs, club songs, battle rap, love song, sad song, everything put together made it a classic and I didn’t compromise my tradition. In a hip hop world they call it classic it has storytelling songs with lot of Wolof, local people can relate to so I balanced it so that Gambia wouldn’t feel left out and the international world that love me too.

Q9 – When you are writing a song. Do you think about the impact it would make on the community? 

Sometimes I when am done writing I would smile and say Yo I don’t know about the community but the real Africans that are proud of themselves would love it because I wrote it from that point of view that’s why am like a Pan African artist, I make songs that Africans hunts like Ghetto Noir, Down Hood music those tracks I did them thinking about Africa and the love I have for Africa and show what I feel about Africa. When I say real Africans I mean real Africans not assimilated Africans with western values 

Q10- Do you think that the Gambian music scene is heading the right direction?

Basically, in my point, its going to be a struggle, because right now 70 percent of Gambian music right now is like friendly not socially conscious just happy music, so if we are making 30 percent of the real music the 70 percent outnumber the 30, so its going to be hard for the 30 percent to push their view there and the 70 percent and the people that feel like they are promoting the Gambian music have their American mind state like we’re just gonna push music that will sell and artists that are radio friendly so anytime you see them gather a bunch artist its just a bunch of happy artists that make happy music so you see the real artists are left out so its going to be struggle but people like me am not going to stop.

Q11- When did you start recording this album?

Last year i did the intro with jay tricks “slave to my rhythm” , we were to record full album but then he had to go back to Sweden and then we did only three songs and put them aside because I had an hospitality management internship and after the internship I walked into Hot B’s studio (Mandela Record) April 2011 and recorded “Set Settal” as soon as I was done with it I started recording the Negritude album in April 2011 and in two weeks everything was done because I already had the ideas in my head. I brought artists and everybody I worked with and said this is what I want here and there and then it happened exactly the way I want it to be.

Q12 – What would you like to tell the young people growing up hoping to be like you someday?

Musically if you want to be like me I suggest you increase your vocabulary and read a lot, you don’t have to be educated like going to university or whatever just have this nerve for reading because if you can have that then you have a long way to go and lot of topics to touch. For me personally people might think am a ghetto youth do what ghetto youths do but I have another addiction and that’s reading, I read everything I can get my hands on especially stuffs that are politically and socially conscious, true stories like biographies. Am like a scholar always wants to know like a Talibe I listen to anyone that has something to say. Just be a good listener, read a lot and accept constructive criticism, If somebody tell you I don’t like this about you don’t be mad because sometimes criticism is good, just think how you are going to fix it up that what a good artist do. I find out who you really and respect your tribe and any tribe then you will be a universal artist

Q13- In one of your songs I heard you spittin' “I left my wallet in Toronto”. can you break that down?

I left my wallet in Toronto means back in Toronto I was really like a successful type rapper not from the rap game but I had money and a crew and lot of stuffs that was going on that was so big that when I came back to the Gambia I lost all that I had. So I had to be humble because many people think that I have money, that’s why I say I left my wallet in Toronto because that’s where the paper is.

Q14- Can you tell us about the people or events that really inspired you?

The people that inspired me is Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass (Bai Nyass). I was really lost when I came back home because I was kind of assimilated too, I got into Sufism in 2005

Went to Kaolack where Learned things I didn’t learn in the university. Of all the learnings I did in life in the world, the most important learning I did was knowing who I am and knowing God. The birth of my son Talib also is one of the events that really forced me to change because before I didn’t care about what I say but every kid goes a stage where you were rebellious.

I came across this Gambian Norwegian- Haddy Njie

I had to repost it in the benefit of all Gambians to know what she is all about

Haddy N'jie - Gambian Norwegian composer and singer who released her first album in 2005. Reviewers called it "impressive", "sensationally strong" and "one of the best newcomers in a long time". She also does theatre, music and humour with the African Norwegian group Queendom. 

Haddy is also a journalist by profession.

In her own words..

"I was born on one of those rear tropical Norwegian summer nights when Oslo is buzzing with people who actually are warm enough to look each other in the eye. And maybe even smile. In 1979 Norway was still a very white country (it still is, but we’ve managed to blend in some pigment during the last 20 years) and all the other mothers thought I was born with hepatitis. They had never seen such a yellow baby. But when my dad finally, and proudly, entered the room they understood that there was no hepatitis, just Gambian genes.

I started working in television when I was eleven and ended up as a journalist, working as a freelancer for different Norwegian magazines.
Christmas Eve 2000 I was living in Granada, Spain and my boyfriend bought me a guitar. One thing followed another. I started writing songs. Moved back to Norway and held my first concerts. In 2005 I released my first album; “White lies” and I'm working on the second one.
My other great love is Queendom. We are five women of Norwegian, African and Caribbean descent creating meaningful, poetic, musical humour. I love it!"

Observations and gap filling

One thing I have notice and it has been going down for quite a while now, is that most or some of the acts in the Gambia don't seem to better understand the music business properly and their role as an artist. No disrespect though, am a concerned GM music lover and quite frankly i believe artists shouldn't see themselves as lab rats or something used to conduct experiments and all of that stuffs because if truth be told without them{acts} there would be less going on in entertainment circle of the Gambia and I also believe that we should be able to distinguish between the various sub genres surfacing from the grounds of our music scene and be able to categorise them in order so that the listeners can know what they are getting from the artist, not to leave 'em with one option/aferr.. "boi its Gambian music" .
Shyboy Ent have broke that circle by comin up with a fusion with a seductive marinba thing, couple of years ago and they call it CMP and it gave the impression that they are knee deep tryining to flip the script and that's real cool of 'em cuz they want GM music to go international but first they wanted the CMP to be appreciated locally.

That been said, right now i can beat my chest and say to GM acts - Yow mein def ngen sen walla du chahan, but the challenges are far more greater than what you think of the critics. Dish out something that is beyond just the pleasure of listening in a more conceptual manner cuz you have the power to change the behaviour of people whether you are aware of that fact or not. When you find yourself in a situation where the scene is going through structuring stages, its never easy on all sides and that's when i think an act should stick to what he/she can do for real and gain the friendship of versatility calculatively which is the artists's favourite tool to gain the trust of the audience. Omid Wisdom's "kassette bu jaxaso" if you listen to it you find out that he had different things going on in the mixtape, the beats, use of local languages, afromatic stuffs etcetera, thats not all that is to it. Kassette Bu Jaxaso clearly defines the now music scene of the Gambia, especially Hip Hop genre with the advent of differences in the way of doing things between acts, producers, promoters etc... Kassette bu Jaxaso is the window to show how the music is evolving, identity crisis and the race to lay the blueprints. This are some of the observations i noticed and am most sincere to shared it with you all... Much appreciation goes out to all those who are bent on making our entertainment circle a road worthy to journey on.